Posts Tagged ‘Sugar’
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Lemon Buttermilk Pie
from the FarmPlate Kitchen
This old-fashioned southern dessert is ever-so-good on its own and even better when served with fresh-picked raspberries or blueberries.
1 unbaked 9-inch pie shell (try a frozen one from Vermont Mystic Pie Company)
4 large eggs
¾ cup sugar
2 tablespoons flour
1½ cups Monument Farms buttermilk
4 tablespoons butter, preferably Vermont Creamery cultured butter, melted
Grated zest of 1 lemon
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon lemon vodka such as Green Mountain Organic Lemon Vodka or Absolut Citron, or pure vanilla extractPreheat the oven to 375ºF. Line the pie shell with a piece of parchment paper and add a handful of dried beans. Blind bake the pie shell for 10 minutes only. Remove from the oven and let cool while you mix the filling. Reduce the oven temperature to 350ºF.
In a large mixing bowl, whisk or beat the eggs and sugar until light and lemon-colored. Beat in the flour, followed by the buttermilk, melted butter, lemon zest and juice, and vodka or vanilla. Pour into the half-baked pie shell.
Bake for 30 minutes, or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool on a rack for 30 minutes then chill before serving.
Serves 6 to 8
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Pretty in Pink Raspberry Cupcakes
from the FarmPlate Kitchen
Back in 1986, Pretty in Pink star Molly Ringwald revealed to fans that her favorite pig-out food was raspberries. We hope that hasn’t changed—and these easy cupcakes are the perfect nosh to enjoy while watching the John Hughes’ film classic.
We use Charlotte’s Nitty Gritty cornmeal here. It’s well worth making the effort to seek it out. The corn is grown and ground in the Champlain Valley, and the flavor is round and almost sweet. You can buy cornmeal and cornbread mix directly from the producer online or at the Waitsfield Farmers Market on Saturdays. You can also find it at select area food stores.
1 stick (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter, softened
¾ cup sugar
Grated zest of ½ lemon
¾ cup cornmeal, preferably from Nitty Gritty Grain Company
2 large eggs, beaten
1 cup King Arthur unbleached all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/8 teaspoon salt
¼ cup milk or cream
1 cup red raspberries (blueberries or blackberries work well too)Icing
Several imperfect raspberries
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 cup confectioners’ sugar, sifted
1 teaspoon unsalted butterPreheat the oven to 350ºF. Line a 12-muffin pan with paper cupcake liners.
In a mixing bowl, cream together the butter, sugar and lemon zest. Beat in the cornmeal, followed by the eggs.
Sift together the flour, baking powder and salt. Beat this into butter mixture, followed by the milk or cream. Very gently fold in the raspberries.
Spoon the batter into the prepared pan. Bake until golden, 15 to 17 minutes. Remove the cupcakes to a wire rack and let cool.
To ice the cooled cupcakes, place a few raspberries in a bowl and add a squeeze of lemon juice. Mash the berries with a fork to tint the juice pinkish. In a separate small mixing bowl, work together the confectioners’ sugar and butter with a fork. Strain enough of the raspberry-lemon liquid into the bowl to make a thick but fluid icing.
Peel the paper liners from the cupcakes. Dunk the top of each cupcake into the icing then quickly invert and place on a serving platter. Set aside for a few minutes before serving.
Makes 12 cupcakes
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Summer Fountain Line-Up
Summer’s here and everybody’s thirsty. We’ve pulled together our favorite thirst-quenching quaffs to have on hand for the 4th’s young parade-goers and seasoned revelers. Pick and choose a couple favorites so you can stock up on the ingredients before the long weekend is here.
Strawberryade
Pack 1 quart hulled strawberries, 1 cup orange juice, the grated zest and juice of 2 lemons and 2 tablespoons honey or sugar in a blender. Puree until smooth. Pour into a pitcher filled with ice.The Patty Sheehan
Mix 2 parts unsweetened green tea (Citrus Blossom from Vermont Artisan Coffee & Teas is ideal) with 1 part lemonade (try Santa Cruz Organic Lemonade). Pour over cracked ice and raise your glass to Vermont’s most celebrated golfer!Root Beer Floats
You can buy fresh-brewed root beer by the gallon at the A&W on Route 7 in Middlebury, or order up a pony keg of craft beer from Rookie’s Root Beer in Burlington. There are two distinct schools of float assembly. Some scoop the ice cream into the glass first and slowly pour in the root beer. Others swear by filling the glass three-quarters full first and then adding a big scoop of ice cream. Either way, Mountain Creamery’s vanilla ice cream is a must.Hibiscus Sangría
Make a large pitcher of VT Artisan Organic Hibiscus Blossom Tea; add lemon, orange and watermelon slices. Stir in 3 to 4 tablespoons of superfine sugar. Chill to blend the flavors. Pour into a pitcher filled with ice.Cherry Fizz
In a large pitcher, stir together 2 quarts chilled seltzer with one 12-ounce can frozen cherry juice concentrate. Serve over ice. Garnish with pitted organic cherries. A cherry pitter makes quick work of this task. Pick up an OXO cherry pitter at Board & Basket in West Lebanon, New Hampshire, and other fine retailers nationwide.Jamaica Ginger Juice
Cut the flesh of 1 ripe pineapple into chunks. In a blender, puree the pineapple, ¼ cup crystallized ginger pieces, the juice of 3 or 4 limes and about 1 cup cold water. Transfer to a large pitcher and stir in 1 quart of chilled ginger ale and lots of ice.Nojitos
In the bottom of a wide-mouth pitcher, bruise with a large wooden spoon or long cocktail muddler: 2 handfuls fresh mint leaves, 2 tablespoons superfine sugar and 1 teaspoon grated lime zest. Add the juice of 4 limes and 1 quart chilled soda or seltzer. Pour into tall glasses full of crushed ice. Garnish with a small sprig of mint. (This alcohol-free version of a mojito cocktail saves 70 calories per serving.)Cran-blue-berry Sparkle
Pour Vermont Cranberry Company Cranberry Sparkling Water over frozen blueberries in a glass and serve.Peachy White Wine Sangría
Thinly slice 3 or 4 peaches and put in a large pitcher. Add Shelburne Vineyard’s Côte de Champlain (it’s on sale this week at the Middlebury Co-op), 2 shots (¼ cup) Grand Marnier and ¼ cup superfine sugar. Chill at least 2 hours to blend flavors. Top off with lemon seltzer and serve.Shandy
This is by far the best whistle-wetter after mowing the lawn on a hot afternoon. Pour an ice-cold bottle of Long Trail ale into a pint glass and top it off with Fentimans Ginger Beer and some cracked ice. You can find the Fentimans and, of course, the Long Trail at the Old Brick Store in Charlotte, Vermont.Woody Goes to the Circus
Combine one part ice-cold Woodchuck Pear Draft Cider and one part ice-cold Magic Hat Circus Boy American-style Hefeweizen. -
Obama Administration Moves to Ban Junk Food from Schools
The Obama administration is making efforts to ban junk food from schools in an attempt to reduce childhood obesity through the overhaul of the Child Nutrition Act, the federal law that oversees school lunch and breakfast programs. Thirty-two percent of American school children are overweight or obese, putting them at significant risk for diabetes and other weight-related health problems as they age. The legislation, which will be introduced this week, would expel sugary foods and drinks from schools and require schools to offer more nutritious options.
The nuts and bolts of the new legislation were going to be announced by USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack last Monday at the National Press Club, but due to the snow in Washington, the event was canceled.The legislation would expand school lunch programs and provide larger reimbursements for schools serving breakfast. The New York Times reports the improvements to the school food system would require a $1 billion per year increase in the budget, which is currently set at $18 billion.
Proposed improvements to the program would result in the elimination of sugary drinks and snacks, and vending machines and cafeterias would be filled with more nutritious options, including fruits, vegetables and whole-grain foods.
Though the American Beverage Association does not favor a federal ban on soda in schools, companies like Coke and Pepsi have backed off on their opposition because they would still be able to sell water and juice to schools.
The results of a new study conducted by the University of Minnesota School of Public Health could be helpful in securing the ban on soda in schools. The study shows a possible correlation between soda and pancreatic cancer. A study of more than 60,000 people in Singapore found that those who drank more than two or more sugary sodas per week had a higher risk of pancreatic cancer, reports Reuters.
Mark Pereira, who led the study, said, “The high levels of sugar in soft drinks may be increasing the level of insulin in the body, which we think contributes to pancreatic cancer cell growth.”
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Carousel Cookies
from Heather Pringle
As a kid, I never liked carousel cookies. When presented with a brightly colored sugar cookie that looked like a reindeer and a small cookie with nuts and jam, the decision was easy. When I grew up, I realized just how wonderful these slightly unusual cookies are—the combination of the crunchy nuts and the not-too-sweet preserves are a perfect afternoon snack on a lazy winter’s afternoon.
2 sticks (1 cup) unsalted butter, at room temperature
½ cup sugar
1 egg, separated
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
½ teaspoon salt
2 cups flour
1 cup chopped pecans
¼ cup strawberry jam
¼ cup apricot preservesPreheat the oven to 375ºF.
Cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Blend in the egg yolk, vanilla and salt. Stir in the flour and mix well. In a small bowl, beat the egg white until frothy.
Shape level tablespoons of the dough into balls. Dip each ball into the egg white then roll in the nuts. Arrange the balls on ungreased baking sheets about 1 inch apart. Flatten slightly then indent the centers. Fill with preserves (about ½ teaspoon each), alternating with the strawberry and apricot preserves.
Bake until lightly browned, 10 to 12 minutes. Transfer to a rack to cool completely.
Makes about 3 dozen cookies
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Christmas Cutouts
from Emily Morgan
This recipe is so simple, but I’ve never had these cookies come out tasting quite as good as when my Gram makes them. Growing up, it was a tradition for me to help her make a batch every year. I recommend eating the dough—it’s delicious! If you have enough dough left to bake, the cookies are best served with a glass of milk for dunking!
Double-strength vanilla extract from Penzeys Spices is perfect here.
2 sticks (1 cup) butter, at room temperature
½ cup sugar
1 egg
½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2½ cups flourCream the butter. Gradually beat in the sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg and vanilla. Gradually blend in the flour. Chill the dough for at least an hour or overnight.
Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Lightly grease 2 baking sheets.
Roll out the dough ¼ inch thick. Cut out shapes with cookie cutters and arrange on the baking sheets about 1 inch apart. Bake until golden, 8 to 12 minutes. Transfer to a rack to cool completely then frost festively!
Makes about 4 dozen cookies
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Chewy Sugar Cookies
from Sarah McClain
I absolutely love good ’ol sugar cookies. For the last three years, my almost 5-year-old niece, Iris, and I have been making sugar cookies on Christmas Eve for Santa. We tie our aprons and get to work. My poor sister—by the end of each cookie session, her kitchen is covered with a fine layer of flour. I bounce around with which recipe to use each year, but my most recent favorite is this one, courtesy of Linda McClure, from the Food Network’s Sweet Dreams episode “Cookie Jar.”
King Arthur Flour’s Baker’s Catalogue has a wide selection of colored sugars and holiday sprinkles to decorate cookies.
2¾ cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon baking powder
1 cup butter, at room temperature
1½ cups sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
3 to 4 tablespoons buttermilk
Colored sugar or sprinkles for decoratingPreheat the oven to 375ºF.
In a small bowl, stir together the flour, baking soda and baking powder. In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until smooth. Beat in the egg and vanilla. Gradually blend in the dry ingredients. Add enough of the buttermilk to moisten the dough and make it soft but not wet.
Roll rounded teaspoons of dough into balls and place on an ungreased cookie sheet. With a brush or your fingers, moisten the top of each cookie with the remaining buttermilk and slightly flatten the tops. Sprinkle with the colored sugar or sprinkles. Bake until slightly golden, 8 to 10 minutes. Let stand for 2 minutes before removing to a rack to let cool completely.
Makes about 4 dozen cookies
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Pecan Puffs
from Kim Werner
This recipe—passed down from my grandmother Muriel—is now a Werner family tradition. They are a cinch to make, which is lucky since these bite-sized morsels are much too easy to pop into your mouth, so they disappear quickly!
2 cups pecans
2 sticks (1 cup) butter, at room temperature
¼ cup sugar
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
2 cups cake flour
½ cup confectioners’ sugarPreheat the oven to 300ºF. Grease 2 baking sheets.
Pulse the pecans in a blender or food processor until coarsely ground. Cream together the butter, sugar and vanilla. Stir in the flour and ground pecans.
Roll the dough into small balls and arrange on the baking sheets about 1 inch apart. Bake for 45 minutes. Roll in the confectioners’ sugar while hot. Transfer to a rack to cool completely then roll again in the sugar.
Makes about 3 dozen cookies
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